The Lahore High Court Friday indicted six accused including MNA Waseem Akhtar, MPA Naeem Safdar, Municipal Chairman Ayaz Khan, Vice-Chairman Ahmad Latif, Nasir Khan and Jamil Khan over charges of taking out a rally against the judiciary in Kasur. Although the accused pleaded not guilty but the court gave them seven-day time to submit their replies. Accused Jamil Khan when contended that the offence was not committed intentionally, the court observed that their leader also does same all the day. Three accused tendered unconditional apology over the charges. On it, the court remarked that there is rule of law and no decision is given against anyone.
The court giving seven days for reply observed, "We're here to protect the national interest and rule of law" and adjourned the further hearing till May 18. Previously, the PML-N's two parliamentarians and four other accused persons had tendered oral apology before the court. Kasur police had registered a case against over 80 persons out of which six were identified as members of the ruling party PML-N. The police booked them under Sections 166, 506, 341, 228 109, 147 and 149 of the PPC.
President District Bar Association Kasur Mirza Naseem submitted that the protest in Kasur was a planned conspiracy against the judiciary. He alleged that the rally was led by PML-N's MNA Waseem Sajjad and MPA Safdar Ansari while some local leaders of the unions also accompanied them. The bar leader said the protestors committed contempt of court and prayed to declare the parliamentarian disqualified. The same bench had been hearing the petitions against alleged anti-judiciary speeches of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and other PML-N leaders.
In another similar case of anti-judiciary material on social media, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) submitted a detailed report. The court sought suggestions as to how anti-judiciary material could be stopped from being viral on the social media and adjourned the hearing till May 18. Abdullah Malik, Civil Society Network President, had moved the petition.
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